Cloaker (Payday 2)
The Cloaker is a special enemy in PAYDAY 2. ''They serve mostly the same role from the original game, attacking players from unexpected angles with a kick that incapacitates in one hit, then continuing to beat down the player. They are distinguished by their green goggles and gas mask, as well as the high-pitched whistling or hissing sound that is audible when one is nearby. Bain's description ''In any serious criminal activity, it is important to keep a watchful eye on air-vents, small windows and generally dark areas, because if you don't spot these bastards before they strike, you won't get a second chance. Behavior Cloakers will normally spawn on the map as a three man team, and unlike other police units, they often spawn in the middle of the map by using objects such as manhole covers or ventilation grates. Players can normally detect their presence by the high pitch whistling noise they emit, which sounds similar to the ringing players experience after being hit with a flash bang grenade. After spawning, Cloakers behave somewhat like regular enemies, although they are stealthy in their movements and will take alternate routes to flank players. They generally fight like regular enemies with their Compact-5 submachine gun until they get close enough to charge and kick a player, which will incapacitate a player in one hit. They are capable of performing acrobatic movements such flipping over low objects and ducking under tables to evade damage, as well as crawling through vents to attack from unexpected angles. Like in the first game, Cloakers will beat downed players with their nightsticks until they spot a new target. If a Cloaker can not find a player to attack after spawning, it may decide to hide under objects such as vehicles or wait around corners to ambush unsuspecting players instead of rushing in with other SWAT units. In terms of appearance, Cloakers may appear similar to a Blue SWAT unit at first glance, although their head shape is slightly different from other SWAT units due to their goggles, and they wear darker armor than the Blue SWAT. This unassuming appearance will usually allow Cloakers to blend in with a mob of SWAT units. The only time that a Cloakers appearance will begin to stand out is when its goggles glow green. If a Cloakers goggles are glowing green then it has decided to charge a player. The static sound from cloakers will also change to a whistling sound. This visual/audio warning is usually too late to be helpful. Cloakers may also lie on the ground to appear dead, then suddenly roll to the side and stand up to attack. Cloakers are capable of jumping over cover in order to attack players. Do not be lured into a false sense of security just because you are hiding behind an object. They are also extremely fast and can close distances quickly. When taking damage, after incapacitating a player, or when setting up ambushes around a downed player, Cloakers will often drop a smoke grenade that explodes instantly like a smoke bomb, to further mask their movements. As of the Death Wish update, Cloakers will occasionally 'team up' with Tasers in an attempt to quickly incapacitate the crew. As of Update 25, Cloakers can now perform side flips and quick jump recoveries in attempts to dodge bullets. Strategy Cloakers have roughly double the amount of health when compared with the next toughest special unit (Taser), but they take much more damage from head shots than other specials with the exception of Bulldozer. It is recommended to take them down from a range, although any weapon capable of throwing a wall of lead can a drop Cloaker at close range if a player manages to get the drop on one and focus fire. They can be difficult to identify due to the fact that their goggles do not appear to glow until they are relatively close, but pressing the "interact" button while aiming at one will properly identify it. Cloakers are extremely fast when on the move, but they occasionally stop to "hide" behind objects. This is an opportune time to spray them with lead, as they are hard to hit otherwise. A leveled Enforcer could quickly kill a Cloaker with a shotgun, 2 rounds to the head from the Locomotive 12G on Overkill difficulty not too close is enough. After hearing Cloakers signature static noise, it is advisable for a player's party to slow down and check for Cloaker ambush spots such as behind door ways, around corners and underneath large objects. Also given the Cloakers ability to blend into a crowd, it is advisable for a player to keep away from large mobs of SWAT units until the location of the whistling noise is revealed. When the Cloaker is charging a target, the whistling sound will increase in volume until it intercepts the target. Given Cloakers habit of setting ambushes around downed players, it is critical for players to alert their team-mates after being knocked down by a Cloaker so that they can clear the area before attempting to revive. Alternatively, a Mastermind with the Inspire skill can revive teammates from a distance, although caution is still advised if you suspect a Cloaker has knocked down your teammates. A simple way to tell if a Cloaker has downed a teammate is that a kicked down player will still retain the health bar behind the bleed-out timer. Cloakers' spawn rate increases during mid-waves, and decreases during Assault waves due to other special units intercepting the crew. Maximum of 3-4 Cloakers can appear fast during the cool down period in Assaults. It is strongly suggested to stay together when pushing for objectives/throwing bags and watching your shortcuts. Cloakers have many hiding places, and often like to camp out near map exits and highly-traveled routes (such as the alleyway door on Four Stores, or the route to the van in Day 1 of Rats) or supply drops (such as the toilet in Nightclub). Whilst this often works to their advantage, it can also work against them; players can spot them from afar (and quickly gun them down) if they are hiding on the wrong side of a doorway, and use the static hiss to pinpoint the Cloakers location and set a trap (such as a Trip Mine or Sentry Gun) or use a Frag Grenade to try and flush them out. If they wedge themselves between a wall and a door, the Cloaker can be shot through the crack between the door and the door frame with careful aim. In addition, if you hear the Cloakers high-pitched idling sounds and cannot see a live Cloaker, check for any seemingly dead ones and fire individual shots into their heads to provoke any Cloaker who is playing dead into revealing himself and attacking. Rarely, a Cloakers jump-kick can be dodged or avoided by moving sideways as he approaches. The jump-kick can still connect if you are running directly backwards, so be sure to move to one side as well to help throw their aim off. Taunts After kicking a player, the Cloaker will sometimes taunt the victim, many of which involves him comically breaking the fourth wall. Achievements Trivia *The Cloakers were originally removed from PAYDAY 2 as getting kicked by one would cause the game to crash. *The Cloakers in PAYDAY 2 were actually to be named Spooks. *The Cloakers appearance is very similar to Sam Fisher/3rd+4th Echelon spies from the Splinter Cell series. *Despite being a stealth-based enemy, the Cloaker is one of the loudest, if not the loudest enemy in the game. *In PAYDAY: The Heist, Cloakers simply run and kick to incapacitate the player. In PAYDAY 2, Cloakers have a unique attack called the "Jump-Kick" to incapacitate the player. *The Cloaker is the only character in PAYDAY 2 who will break the 4th wall. *A newspaper for the Death Wish Update page tells that the Cloaker is a paramilitary unit. *Incapacitation from a Cloaker's kick does not count against the number of bleedouts players may incur before automatically going into custody. This means that players with very low health can actually be healed if revived after being taken down by a Cloaker. Category:PAYDAY 2 Category:Special enemies (Payday 2)